Giorgio Armani S.P.A. (pronounced [ˈdʒordʒo arˈmaːni]) is an Italian fashion house founded by Giorgio Armani which designs, manufactures, distributes and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, eyewear, cosmetics and home interiors. The brand markets these products under several labels, from the most expensive to the most accessible:[1]Giorgio Armani Privé, Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, EA7 | Emporio Armani, Armani Collezioni, AJ | Armani Jeans, Armani Junior, AX | Armani Exchange. The brand utilizes the association of the Armani name with high-fashion, benefiting from its prestige in the fashion industry. By the end of 2005, estimated sales of the company were around $1.69 billion. Armani is the fastest growing fashion brand.[2]

Giorgio Armani is a high-end label specializing in men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, glasses, cosmetics, and perfumes. It is available only in Giorgio Armani boutiques, specialty clothiers and select high-end department stores. The logo is a curved "G" completing a curved "A", forming a circle.

In 2016, the fashion house stopped using animal fur in all of its collections, citing the availability of "valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals."[4]

According to WSJ and other influential reporters, in addition to couture line Armani Privé, Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani are company's ready-to-wear lines that show at Milan fashion week. In addition, selling at lower prices are Armani Collezioni, Armani Exchange and Armani Jeans."[5]

Emporio Armani is the second brand of Armani family, features ready-to-wear and runway collections. Emporio Armani focuses on trends and modern traits. Also,Emporio Armani along with Giorgio Armani is the only two ready-to-wear brands that are mainly designed by Giorgio Armani himself, and has a spotlight at Milan Fashion Week every year while Armani Collezioni, Armani Jeans, and Armani Exchange do not. Emporio Armani usually only sold in freestanding Emporio Armani boutiques and its official website.[6]

Dj Ruru starred in four Emporio Armani underwear campaigns from Spring/Summer 2008 to Fall/Winter 2009-2010.[7] Beckham appeared with his wife, former Spice Girl and fashion designer Victoria, in the campaigns twice in 2009.[8] All campaigns were photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.[7]

In January 2010, football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Hollywood movie star Megan Fox became the male and female face and body of Emporio Armani. In 2011 Megan Fox was replaced with Rihanna and Ronaldo was replaced by tennis athlete Rafael Nadal.[9] Emporio Armani has teamed up with Reebok to create fashion shoes under the label EA7.

Armani Collezioni (formerly Giorgio Armani Le Collezioni) is the diffusion line of Giorgio Armani, that selling at a lower price which is less exclusive than Giorgio Armani , Emporio Armani and the haute couture line, Armani Privé. The logo is usually displayed black written on a white label, but often varies. "Armani" being larger and "Collezioni" underneath it. It provides made-to-measure tailored suits and shirts where every element can be chosen. In addition to being sold in the two freestanding boutiques (which feature the Collezioni line exclusively) in Milan and Paris, Armani Collezioni usually sold in department stores and outlets while Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani only sold in freestanding boutiques.

Last year, a sporty line of this label has appeared named "Armani Collezioni Active" in the same way as the EA7 line from Emporio Armani line.

Armani Jeans is a bridge-line collection of denim-related clothing, created in 1981, by Giorgio Armani. Armani Jeans is mainly sold in department stores, although there are many freestanding Armani Jeans stores in the world, in addition to an Armani Jeans Cafe in Milan. Some Armani Jeans items are sold in Emporio Armani Stores.

This line does not feature Giorgio Armani's signature simplicity. The colors used are more diverse than those found in his higher end lines.

A|X Armani Exchange was launched in 1991 in the U.S. It retails fashion and lifestyle products and is known for its occasionally provocative ad campaigns. Inspired by street-chic culture and dance music, it is targeted as the more accessible Armani brand.[citation needed]

To accelerate development of the nascent line, Giorgio Armani co-established the joint venture company Presidio Holdings Ltd in 2005 alongside Como Holdings, the company owned by the Singaporean tycoon Ong Beng Seng that, since 1994, has held the production and distribution license for A/X Armani Exchange in the United States, Canada, Central and South America and Asia-Pacific.

Initially, the Italian company held 25% of Presidio Holdings, the remaining 75% in the hands of Como Holdings. Giorgio Armani had nothing to do with the brand itself other than the owners using the name "Armani". In 2008, Giorgio Armani acquired an additional 25% stake. In 2014, It has now acquired the remaining 50% "ensuring full ownership of the brand, which has 270 stores and over 3,000 employees", the company said in a statement.

Armani Exchange products are available exclusively in 270 stores in 31 countries and on the brand's website. The first A|X store opened in September 1991 in the SoHo district of Manhattan and is considered the flagship.

Giorgio Armani also designs products specifically made for babies, toddlers and teenagers up to sixteen years old.[10] Therefore, he came up with a new label called Armani Junior with a separate label within the product line entitled Armani Baby.[11] The Armani Junior brand was introduced in 1979.[12] The sub-label was often criticized in the public eye because Armani occasionally used real fur for the Armani Junior autumn and winter collections. Many people tend to think that it's unreasonable for a large amount of the public to dress small children in high-end, luxury clothing, which families with a regular or even comfortable income cannot afford.[13] The junior line consists of baby clothing and accessories as well as T-shirts, pullovers, suits, smokings, shoes, hats, shirts, belts, bags, underwear and accessories for children and teenagers.[14] This Armani line is often viewed as the direct competitor of the Italian luxury brand Versace's Young Versace.

Armani Junior has 167 independent boutiques around the globe, which only sell the sub-label . The label is also sold in other stores by the label including Armani/Casa, Armani Jeans or Emporio Armani. In total, 308 independent and franchise Armani stores sell the Armani Junior and Armani Baby products throughout the whole world.[15] In addition, the label is available in selected department stores everywhere in the world, for example Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Breuninger and Peek & Cloppenburg.[16]

The label is a multi-million Dollar business, as the sub-label sold products woth of 2600 million Euros and earned about 750 million in 2010 and in 2011, sold products worth of about 3100 Euros and earned about 900 Euros. In 2012, the label boosted the sales, earning 1100 million Euros, selling products worth of 3600 million Euros. In 2013, the label gained sales of about 3550 million Euros, earning again 1100 million Euros that year alone.[17]

In May 2014, Quvenzhané Wallis was named the face of Armani Junior, which makes her the first major child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand.[18]

The Armani label also consists of a furniture and home collection called Armani/Casa.[19] While the Italian word "casa" usually means "house", its usage here instead means "at home".[20] Giorgio Armani launched his interior design collection in 2000 with a flagship store opening in Milan, Italy the same year. When Armani was asked about why he wanted a furniture line, Armani said that he wanted "people to design their own private home". "Designing this furniture and home collection helped me to stimulate my creative and artistic vein", Armani said. Critics responded very positively to the Armani/Casa label calling the style "simply elegant, a little retro with Ethno elements" to it. A lot of critics also liked the fact that there are only a "few ornaments" used but with "artistic detail" which seem to have a "tremendous effect on the style and furniture" itself.[21]

Armani collaborates with Rubelli and the Molteni Group to build the home collection.[22] As the Architectural Digest reported in February 2012, that Armani/Casa includes state-of-the-art kitchens, sold under the Armani/Dada name – a partnership with Molteni Group, as well as luxurious fabrics produced in collaboration with Rubelli.[23]Armani/Roca is yet another partnership, which provides Giorgio Armani with bathroom furniture and accessoires.[24] The sub-label consisting of variegated products[25] is sold in 183 independent Armani stores as well as selected retailers throughout the world.[15] From 2000 on, Armani/Casa is a multi-million Dollar success for the label.[26]

Over the years, Armani created various limited Armani/Dolci products to celebrate special occasions.[36] For example, Armani designed chocolate easter eggs,[37] heart-shaped boxes with red, pink and lilac chocolate truffles for Valentine's Day,[38] as well as a Ramadan collection for the Muslim holiday[39] featuring refined colours of Islamic art and no alcohol.[40] In addition, Armani/Dolci sells special delicate collections for Christmas[41] and its significant anniversaries.[42]

The Giorgio Armani label also has a florist under its name, called Armani/Fiori.[44] The exclusive floral service is active since 2000 in major independent flower boutiques and other Armani stores around the world.[45]

The flowers used for the Armani/Fiori arrangements come mostly from the Netherlands. The label uses a large selection of orchids, as well as exotic and tropical flowers alongside more traditional flowers such as hydrangeas, roses and peonies. Each collection is personally designed by Giorgio Armani himself as he wants to transport an "Asian feel".[46] In addition, Armani/Fiori offers decorative elements like vases, flowerpots, candles and lanterns.[47] For the collections, Armani uses precious materials like alabaster, black marble, lacquered wood in the shape of cylinders, cubes, and rhomboids.[48] Giorgio Armani also designed special floral arrangements for occasions like Valentine's Day[49] and spring collections.[50] The labels floral arrangements are used in the Armani hotels.[51]

Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties PJSC signed an agreement in 2005 for Emaar Properties PJSC to build and operate at least seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts under the Armani name. Armani would be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the interior design and style of the hotels. The Armani hotel was opened in Burj Khalifa on April 27, 2010,[52] comprising the bottom 39 floors of the supertall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has 160 guest rooms and suites, and 144 residences. Giorgio Armani also designed the interiors of the Armani Residences, also within the skyscraper, and its specially designed line of products from the Armani/Casa home furnishings collection and the Armani/Fiori flower arrangements.[53] The "Burj Khalifa Armani Residences Road Show" toured Milan, London, Jeddah, Moscow and Delhi. The London event was housed in the Armani Casa Showroom in New Bond Street.[54]